Mice given test compound show marked improvements

An experimental drug that blocks abnormal neural communication after spinal cord injury could one day be the key to improving quality of life by improving bladder function, new research suggests.

Researchers at The Ohio State University tested the drug – which is currently available only for research – to gauge its potential to improve bladder function after spinal cord injury in mice and saw promising results.

The experimental drug (LM11A-31) appears to help by blocking the dual activity of pro-nerve growth factor (proNGF) and a receptor called p75. ProNGF is known to be secreted from the cell after nerve injury.

After a month-long treatment after spinal cord injury in mice, bladder volume decreased significantly to a level close to normal, said lead researcher Sung Ok Yoon, an associate professor of biological chemistry and pharmacology at Ohio State.